John a



(No Model.)

J. A. SPARKS 82: W. S. BROWN.

TENSION DEVICE.

No. 446,842. Patented Feb. 17, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. SPARKS AND IVALTER S. BROIVN, OF EMINENCE, KENTUCKY;

SAID SPARKS ASSIGNOR TO SAID BROIVN.

TENSION DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,842, dated February 17, 1891.

Application filed September 15, 1890. Serial No. 365,084. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN A. SPARKS and WALTER S. BROWN, citizens of the United States, residing at Eininence,in the county of Henry and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Tension Device, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a tension device for use in building picket fences, having for its object the provision of such means as that the spool will not shift longitudinally or laterally when in use; and it consists in certain features of novelty to be hereinafter described and claimed. r

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is an end view, of the device. Fig. 3 is a View of one end of the spool. V

1 represents a suitable base, which is secured to an upright, as usual, and 2 2 are lugs at each side thereof.

3 is an opening in the base, through which passes the line-wire of the fencing thatis being constructed.

4 is a spool, to which is secured the wire which is wound thereon. One end of the spool has a circular axial journal 5, that works in a circular hole in the lug 2. The other end of the spool has an axial projection, squared at 6, to receive a crank and formed in an enlarged journal 7, which journal works in an open bearing 8 of the lug 2. Formed with the spool at the same end and at the base of journal 7 is a ratchet-disk 9,said spool having its disk fitting snugly against the lug 2, so that there will be no endwise displacement. If

there were no provision to prevent the spool falling out of the open hearing, such as that now to be referred to, the device would be in- Such means consist of a pivoted complete.

detent or pawl 10, havingahooked portion 11,

extending over the ratchet-disk 9 and spanning the open bearing 8 and provided at its end with the tooth 12, having an inclined portion 13, that engages with the inclined portions of the teeth of said ratchet-disk. The pawl is held in engagement with the ratchetwheel by a spring l-l.

The detent, while it acts to prevent the turning of the spool in the wrong direction, also prevents the spool from falling out by reason of the open bearing, and in this respect constitutes the main feature of the invention.

IVhat we claim is In a tension device, the combination of a base-plate provided with lugs, one of said lugs having a circular bearing and the other havin g a vertically-arranged open bearing, a spool having axial journals, one of which is received by the circular bearing, the other being in the form of a circular enlargement journaled in the open bearing, aratchet-disk on the spool bearing against the innerside of one of the lugs around the open bearing, anda detent extending outward over the teeth of the ratchet-disk and arranged adjacent to and spanning the open hearing at the inner side thereof and having a tooth to engage the teeth of the ratchet-disk, said detent being arranged to retain the spool in the bearings when the tension on the wire is slackened, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto aflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN A. SPARKS.

\VALTER S. BROWN.

Witnesses:

J. T. HACKETT, H. P. CRAWFORD. 

